TRAINER David Smith has called back jockey Koby Jennings to ride Distinctive Look in Monday’s $35,000 Coolmore Denman Cup (1280m) at Muswellbrook as he desperately tries to get the five-year-old back to his winning ways.
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Last preparation Distinctive Look hit a purple patch of form which included winning two Highway Handicaps and the Central Districts heats of the Country Championship at Wellington.
However, he finished a distant second last in the Championship final and has turned in three poor performances since.
Jennings rode him in those three wins and also in the final and Smith is hoping that the jockey can put his finger on any problems the horse might have.
“Koby Has ridden him several times and knows the horse well,” the Mudgee based Smith said.
“They get on well together.
“The horse got a heavy knock as he came out of the barriers in the final and I don’t think he
appreciated the heavy track.
“That might have shaken his confidence and hopefully Koby can tell me if it has.”
Smith gave the horse a freshen up but in two runs since at Tamworth and Mudgee he ran poorly with other riders aboard.
“I gave him a spell and had the chiropractor go over him and iron out a few niggles,” Smith said.
“He is a horse that has always had niggling injuries so we have to manage him.”
Distinctive Look resumed with a second last in the Dubbo Flying when ridden by Anthony Cavallo and while Smith was down cast after the run Cavallo had some good news.
“Choc was pretty happy with the run and said the horse was only getting warmed up late,” Smith said.
“I would like to run him in the Anniversary Highway in two weeks time but he will have to run well on Monday if we are to pursue that plan.”
This year’s Denman cup has drawn by far the best field to face the starter in recent years and includes the lightly raced by talented Another Aan, trained at Wyong by Les Tilley.
There is also another interesting sidelight in former Queensland country apprentice, Clayton Gallagher, who will ride the Brett Cavanough trained Escebee.
Gallagher has only had a handful of rides since coming south but made an immediate impact by winning the Dubbo Cup earlier this month on Brazen for Cavanough.
He has four rides at Dubbo today including three for Cavanough prior to his one commitment at Muswellbrook.
Distinctive Look is a gelding born in 2012 September 1 by Lookin At Lucky out of Beautiful Gem.
The current race record for Distinctive Look is 6 wins from 18 starts with prizemoney of $210,670.00.
